I met Dennis at a library in new london ohio where he had talked about his experience and he was such a very kind person as he showed a video of the morrell he made it a point to sit next to me and talk to me it was like I made an instant friend , and I did , I wanted to get a hold of him later on but as I learned about his passing it was very hard for me to except it but he is with his ship mates now God rest his soul
Hi Robert, it’s so nice that you had the opportunity to meet Dennis. Thank you for sharing your story about him and for watching my video. It was a privilege getting to learn more about him and his time on the Morrell. - Sam
I met him after a talk he gave at the Maritime Museum in Canal Park (Duluth, MN). He and many other folks walked the length of the ship canal pier afterwards, looking out at the lake, almost haunting in a way to watch. After that he gave a few brief comments to a local news crew that was at the museum for his talk. He seemed like a very nice man indeed.
@@yallneedjesus5465 That's called trauma an survivor's guilt... None of which is fun to deal with.... An as death is final so is trauma. An you have flash backs. An you hear their voices, you see their faces..? So it never goes away... Ever ....It's part of you always.... Rest in paradise Sir
My dad sailed the lakes in a ship just this in the ‘40s and early 50s. He was the chief steward on the Richard J Reiss, and the Uhrig. He would tell stories about those early winter storms and how scary they were. We lived in Duluth, Mn. at the time. As kids, we would watch the horizon from our house on the hill, looking for the smoke coming from the stacks of inbound boats..wondering if it was dads ship coming to port. Dad would be gone for months at a time..and coming to home port was a big event. Exciting days.
Glad to see that you are mentioning the Morrell, like the Carl Bradley these ships are in the shadows of the Fitzgerald not saying that the Fitzgerald isn't tragic but the Morrell and the Bradley are all but forgetton and the Fitzgerald is a legend you do their memories well, I hope that you do more of these videos
@@leoborn4013 All 3 needed maintenance and hull repairs. Bethlehem Steel Corporation did a report in the Sister Ship of the Edmund Fitzgerald, that being the Arthur B. Homer. That ship was lengthened in December of 1975, but had so many years of neglect beforehand, that Bethlehem Steel Corporation decided to retire the ship in 1980 and scrap it.
I was stationed at the USAF radar station in Port Austin when the Morrell went down. When the news reached us that the ship was presumed lost, a group of us searched along that frigid coastline for any signs of survivors. We found nothing of course. The terrible weather and waves made it incredible that Mr. Hale somehow survived.
I also met Dennis Hale and I echo everything the viewer said about him. He was an amazing man and I feel privileged to have met him at the grand opening of the Great Lakes Maritime Museum here in Toledo. Sadly he is passed away now. RIP Mr. Hale.
It takes a special kind of human being to survive something like this physically and mentally it kinda makes the everyday problems we face not so unmanageable I pray we can all muster this kind of strength in our time of need.
I dove on Danial J Morrell (both the bow and the stern) in the late 70s, when it was like night even in the daylight, and there were no zebra mussels. The visibility in the unwater footage is unreal. Great video.
@@sonnyspawn4435 Yeah, the zebra mussels have cleared the water up immensely for SCUBA divers, but while wreaking havoc on the ecosystems of the Great Lakes.
A relative of mine was the driver of the ambulance who took Dennis Hale to the hospital, and apparently became friends with him for the rest of his life. He also owned the funeral home in town that the FBI made their home base while they identified the crew who had passed away. He's the one facing the camera, smiling in the photo at 9:54, the middle of the three men standing in the back. Wish I could've heard the stories from him directly, but I never met him before he died, so I've had to hear from other family members instead.
May The Men of the Morell and all who have perished on the lakes rest in peace. It's stories like this that make me frightened for my mother's safety, she's a second cook on the CSL Spruceglen. Obviously safety standards etc have improved greatly but in the end sailing the great lakes is still a risky endeavor. I hope I never have to hear that the Spruceglen is gone with all hands.
Well, fwiw, ships built after the DJM used uncompromised steel, plus safety standards are a thousand times what they were. That's only a start in the improved circumstances, too. Perhaps counting the number of successful hauls will help instead of thinking about wrecks a lifetime ago. Godspeed to your Mom and her ship.
One of my favorite ship channels on this platform! Thanks for the amazing content you put out brother! Can’t wait to see what you have for us next time!
The sister ship of the Morrel, the Edward Y Townsend, was found to have major cracking after that same storm. She was sold for scrap and on the way to being towed to Europe for scrapping she broke in two just like her sister and sank, just a stones throw from the wreck of the Titanic.
Dennis Hale was a whale of a man. I knew his story for years before his passing but was never able to see any of his appearances. Sorry I never got to meet him. R I P
Dennis Hale had a book out before Shipwrecked. It's called Sole Survivor. His story was translated to the page by Pat and Jim Stayer. My dad had a copy given to him by them. I read it as a kid. Book's worth quite a lot now. Always wanted to meet Dennis like Dad had. Never got to. Edit: Planning a video now in honor of the men on the Morrell and ship herself. I see we have many of the same sources. My dad has helped me with the researching, a lot, and it led to a really freaky experience on his part. I sent him the timeline I've been working on, and he started telling his first mate all about it. Well, when he finished the story, he and his first mate turned around and standing in the doorway of the cabin was a man in a Daniel J. Morrell shirt. He said chills went up his spine. Turned out to be Dennis Hale's son-in-law. He said it was sad how the world has slowly forgotten the Morrell more and more every year. The coincidence of the whole meeting makes you wonder if Dennis played a part. Makes me feel like I have to keep going, on the off chance that this is what the crew want... everlasting memory. It has led to a whole new avenue for my research as well, having the ability to make contact with at least one of the families. My hope is to finish by the 28th of Nov. And have it premiere at the time of the sinking. However, I'm trying to collect information about the men on board so they can be remembered properly and I'm having some trouble with it. EDIT: Video is still in the works, but there is a LOT of information to go over here. It will be delayed.
Great video. Strange how this disaster is relatively unknown and yet equally as awful as the Edmund Fitzgerald. Rather like the Titanic when compared to the Wilhelm Gustloff which may have resulted in 6 times or more as many casualties.
It is diffcult to remember every disaster. There are simply too many of them. About Gustloff, it was actually a troop transport, running dark that happend to have civilians on board and was sunk by enemy during war time. Formore nobody never knew how many souls were onboard.
@@koolaidblack7697 I can't actually find any good information on whether the western allies even found out about the sinking officially (rather than via agents/intelligence). If they did know about it, they deliberately kept it quiet. The chap captaining the Soviet sub was later dishonourably discharged, but for being a drunkard rather than for mass murder of enemy civilians.
@@chairlesnicol672 Very true. Other than perhaps a blurb on the national news, few outside of the Great Lakes community knew about the Fitzgerald until after the song was released. Indeed, when it first hit the "Hot 100" in mid-November 1976 probably not two people in ten knew the song was about a real lake boat.
Dwight Boyer wrote extensively about the sinking of the Daniel J. Morrell. If I remember correctly both the Townsend and Morrell failed to arrive at the Soo Locks and were reported overdue/missing. The battered Townsend was found at anchor in the St. Mary's river with her wireless antenna ripped off by the storm (unable to radio in).
Seeing how they lost their lives when the ship went down, I'd say that's the opposite of being blessed. Little late for blessings once you're dead. Dennis was blessed with surviving the wreck and more years of life perhaps but the rest of them were doomed, not blessed.
I can watch "Sinking Ships" videos ALL DAY LOOOOONG! something about these stories captivates me. and the footage of the ships lying upright at the bottom of the Great Lakes is haunting, fascinating, & beautiful. BUT time to get back to work! shutdown the youtube Nick, you have a family to support!!!
Pretty crazy the stern was still going after being torn in half. Engines still going and didn’t sink like a rock from it being torn in half. Very impressive
The last scene in this video with the open door on the stern is perfect that door was flung open and every member of the crew that could flew out of that door in a desperate attempt to escape
It seems faint in the light of Hale's survivor's guilt, but his survival probably saved the lives of future crewmen who would have otherwise sailed on the Townsend. Had the investigation slowed, the Townsend may have continued to make trips, and instead of splitting while being towed, another crew could have experienced the Morrell's fate. That act of survival probably saved another 28 people.
Poor guy had survivor’s guilt but at least he lived his life to the fullest in honor of his lost crew mates. Also he potentially saved many lives by pointing the investigators in right direction that the steel being used was too brittle. I think this tragedy was really overshadowed by the Fritz because the latter of the two had no survivors and cause was unknown.
It breaks my heart to hear him describe the loss and loneliness. The fact that he pushed through it and lived a good life should stand as inspiration for anyone who has peered into the darkness of the abyss of depression, and felt it peering into their soul. I remember the fallen, and they think of me, for our souls in the ocean forever will be. -the longest johns
@@elim7228 The other problem was, The Ship WAS ALWAYS OVER LOADED. Some of the crew members Also complained ABOUT STRESS CRACKS, at different load points in the Ship's hull.
Im related to Daniel J. Morrell..never knew this until i started looking into my family history. My 4th or 5th gen grandfather changed the E to an I for reasons unknown. Sad and tragic.
I had never heard of this ship until today. Guess you need a song written about like the Mighty Fitz to be famous. Thank you very much for bringing this tragic story to my attention. Amazing.
I honestly couldn't imagine how Psychologically traumatizing that experience had to have been for Dennis Hale It's no wonder that he was so reluctant to talk about the experience at first
Ships are supposed to have inspections and repair done during winter layup. The company neglected the Morrel, likely because it was an old ship, but the cost of human lives wasn’t worth what it would take to repair the vessel or the loss in income caused by decommissioning the ship.
"We're never in port long enough" said by an old man who's already lived a full life, and the situation ends in young men with their futures ahead of them drowning and freezing to death. Makes me angry honestly. It's always people with hardly anything at stake who cause situations like this.
@@tatwood93 you can’t get mad at the captain. He doesn’t arrange the shipping schedules, and he likely knew just how dangerous having a leaky ship was, but he couldn’t do anything about it. It is infuriating that a company would neglect a ship this much though
Incredible. One of the Bethlehem steel mine buildings are only a few miles from my house here in PA. I also had a grandfather who worked for the company back in the mid 60s but I never knew any of this.
At 7:05 that’s a cool painting but the life raft was not a rubber life raft as pictured here, and what most us typically picture a life raft to be. The life raft was a slatted steel or wood “tray” on top of 2 cylindrical steel pontoons. Edit: they show the actual raft in the pic of the helicopter rescue.
What's so surprising about this story is the age of the ship. Very few ocean going ships last more than 40 years in service. What is even more amazing is the apparent lack of safety inspections. Granted is the simple fact that fresh water is less corrosive than sea water. That doesn't eliminate the need for seaworthyness inspections. Especially after 40, or more years of service.
@@anareel4562 Interesting! I do hope that they've seen some recent dry dock time. Anyway where do you get parts for 50+ year old thriple expansion steam engines
@@scottjackson5173 as for how they maintain such old technology my guess is they have blacksmiths and craftsman on payroll, also most of them had their propulsion switched over to diesel engines or steam turbines. SS Alpena was built in 1942 and is still in service, there's also a 107 year old lake freighter that's been converted into a self unloading barge. Algorithm deleted my last comment due to links lol
@@scottjackson5173 actually turns out Trillium (a side paddle steam ferry) is still in use in my home town of Toronto between Downtown and the Island, she's 111 years old
Great documentary. I remember reading that Dennis most likely survived due to wearing no clothes, as wet clothing would only increase the speed of hypothermia. Can't imagine that kind of weather and cold.
Great video thank you for sharing this amazing story seriously a great job! I immediately subscribed to your channel in order to not miss any future videos :)
That was in 1966. The laws have changed. I'm under the impression that all commercial ships registered or operated in US waters have to have hull inspections every 6 months to 3 years depending on type. Are there any Coast Guard out there that can give us the lowdown?
I grew up on the shore of Lake Michigan, in Long Beach Indiana. When that lake gets angry, look out. My Dad had his career with Bethlehem Steel. He started at Sparrows Point (Baltimore), and transferred to Burns Harbor Indiana.
I live 1.5 miles from Lake Michigan in Port Washington WI. I tell my daughter that we don't need to go to the ocean , we have one it our back yard. It's quite eery to look out at the lake and think of all the ships that seen their demise. Beautiful place though.
The American Bureau of Shipping certification of at least one annual inspection should have picked up on the fact the vessel was leaking and the steel in deterioration? Why was nothing done? Why were the numerous Captains scared of reporting the defects to the company? Also the ship is a "bulk carrier" and not a freighter. Not forgetting the seafarers union delegates on board, why did they keep working the vessel? Great video.
Right?! I can only imagine how endemic the problem must have been that ships in such a poor state of repair kept literally breaking apart without it being a giant scandal. I wonder what percent of the bulk carriers were actually seaworthy back then.
A bulk carrier isn't a freighter? That's like saying a container train is an "intermodal" and not a "freight train". They both refer to the same thing with different degrees of specificity. But to answer your questions, companies don't care about safety until laws require them to. Plenty of ships built when the Morrell was built were lost due to storms in the decades before the Morrell sank. The risk was acceptable at the time, and it was probably less expensive to lose a ship as old as the Morrell due to sinking than it was to substantially upgrade it or build a newer one when this older one was still operational. After the Fitzgerald was when shipping culture changed and inspection and safety standards were improved, and ships on the lakes will find shelter whether than venture out into open water when a storm is forecast.
@@484berkshire In Australia a Bulk Carrier carries bulk commodities and more often than not does not have derricks or deck cranes and has strengthened hatches to handle ore. A freighter usually has a "between deck" and has derricks or deck cranes and provision for refrigerated cargo. A Containership is just that, handles 20 foot and 40 foot container exclusively. That's how it was when I was a ships Radio Officer in the merchant navy many years back.
@@australiantrains8988 Ok, so it boils down to different dialects then. In the US (as far as I know), a freighter is any ship that moves goods as its primary function. Bulk carriers and container ships all fit under "freighter".
Must not be on the ground floor of any type of industrial work. The captains most likely did report the issues. But upper management only saw, that ship not moving meant not making money. Back then these types of accidents were not looked at as deeply as they are today. Sure when they happened they looked into it, but eventually they were paid off by big business and everything went away. Looking into it, coal mines, steel Mills, freight companies, all of them had massive accidents and they were all hardly looked into and even if they were nothing much ever came of it. That's why today companies have such tight ships to run so to speak, as lawyers and government agencies get involved and things start to happen. Chances are this guy once he was out of the hospital, the company came and said "man we're awful glad you are alive, sorry about your shipmates, hey see ya Monday ol buddy" and life went on, as what happened with alot of incidents. Companies see the outgoing money closer than they see the incoming money, they never seem to make the connection that repairs to the lifeblood of the company is a drop in the bucket when these accidents happen.
I believe the photos of the ship breaking up at about 2 min mark are of the Morrell's sister ship the Townsend as it broke up while being towed across the Atlantic for scrapping.
These situations have been happening ever since the first person went somewhere in a boat, captains who overestimated the seakeeping abilities of their vessels or underestimated the power of water disturbed by wind. Give the propensities of human nature, there's no reason to believe that will ever change.
My family has got a place near harbor beach, thats crazy to hear about. I'll have to see if I can ask anybody local or find something in the museums. Lot of history that goes forgotten there
@@StunningHistory I noticed that you probably have a full time job and maybe don't have the time to post regularly but I wish you all the best with the channel and I know a lot of us out here will say the same! Cheers mate 🥂 can't wait til your next video.
He's right about the men and himself our family after that many years together. I work for a company almost two decades. There's men hired couple years before and after I was hired. We were there for each other through the good or bad. Marriage, having kids or some passed away. Were family all them years until the company shut down. Over time we slowly when our own separate ways. But I have a lot of fun stories to tell others about this group of men I worked with.
Not for many years and never again professionally, to my knowledge. I believe I saw where he boarded a research vessel as part of filming the documentary.
My uncle was a cook on the USCGC Naugatuck the night the Fitzgerald went down and the captain ordered the engines to make steam and get out to the last known position but for some reason one of the pumps for the engine failed multiple times and they made it about 2 days after the sinking
Can you explain why ships sink after beaing break apart? Are Cargo holds not watertight compartmens? Is there any compartmentaion of the ship? I think if such a ship is break apart, then one or two cargo holds in each section will flood, but it is hardly enough water to sink entire half of the ship.
I think it is sad that he felt shame about his near death experience. I have had a couple myself obviously different circumstances. I found it very comforting afterwards. Knowing that there is definitely more to this life and afterlife than we can post hope to understand in the flesh. At least times have changed. That poor man suffered in silence for years but due to his bravery people after him
3:38 The steel used on the Titanic was actually the highest grade steel of the time, not the weakest. White Star Line did not cheap out on the building of her in any regards.
Thanks for clarifying here. I added some additional thoughts on that in a pinned comment. If you have any further reading you can share with me, I'd love to take a look. - Sam
True! But the highest grade steel of the time was not very good by today's standards. Through WWII ship steel had too many graphite inclusions and the brittle transition temperature was very high. The SS Schenectady, a WWII Oiler, fractured overnight in harbor, in a dead calm.
Actually, yes they did ‘cheap out’ on construction-albeit primarily in terms of steel QUANTITY , not quality. The original plans called for steel plates 1.5 inches thick to be utilized in hull construction mid-ship, and 1 inch thick in the bow and stern areas. Because of continual cost-cutting pressure by White Star Line officials, Harland & Wolff acquiesced and used one inch thick amidships, and 3/4 inch steel in the bow and stern areas. In addition, H&W succumbed to pressure to finish construction quickly by procuring inferior iron constructed rivers high in slag and other impurities instead of steel rivets. The poor performance of these inferior rivets is believed to be one factor behind why the Titanic’s starboard bow plates failed to hold their structural integrity in the collision with the iceberg.
Being from Memphis (used to seeing river boats), I'm confused by the configuration of these ships. Are they in two separate or independent parts, front and back, with the middle being cargo? How can it break in two and both parts keep going for a bit? I've always been fascinated by the Great Lakes ships! Thanks so much for the info, love your channel! Have you heard of Memphis's maritime disaster, the Wreck of the Sultana? Thanks!
I’m from northern Wisconsin and have spent a lot of time by the Great Lakes and heard these story’s since I was a kid, it’s really just weak construction of the ships and the extreme storms the lakes get, the lakes regularly see 22 foot waves during storm season, the boats over years get beat to death and in this case the lack of maintenance caused the boat to literally get ripped in half. They are built just like cargo ships for the ocean.
@@fuzzy_deppresion3907 Ohhh, okay Thanks! They look like they could be made in two separate halves with the funnel on one end and the wheelhouse on the other. Very neat ships I love to hear stories about the Great Lakes, beautiful part of the country!
@@lilitharam44 I'd imagine it's like floating on a giant aluminum cake pan, probably massive amounts of flex especially when dropping thousands of tons of ore into it from 100ft up then crashing thru 20ft waves. Not to mention the shallow waters of the Great Lakes when compared to oceans. Very creepy that the wheelhouse was broken off and the engines kept going, it's like a modern version of the headless horseman
The other thing to note, cargo freighters that belong to the great lakes (Lakers) are bigger than the ocean going counterparts you will see in the great lakes (Salties.) Why is this so? It's because the really big ocean going vessels are too big for the locks.
Ernest McSorely, Captain of the Edmond Fitzgerald needs honorable mention since The Edmond is mentioned so many times in this story. Ernest was retiring after his fatal trip, he had 2 records, at 19 he was the youngest Captain to navigate a freighter across the Great Lakes, and then held the record for taking the greatest amount of tonnage through the Sioux St Marie locks. The Edmond was inspected a month before sinking, they found 4 areas of repair needed when the ship went into dry dock, none that made it unseaworthy though.
The Episcopal priest who baptized my son was ship sinking survivor. He wasn't the only survivor but it was still traumatic. He was not a minister at the time. He was the gunnery officer aboard the USS Vincennes (CA 44) sunk in the Battle of Savo Island.
So I want to ask a question and it may sound stupid but how did the rear section of the morrel not drive itself down into the water and sink faster? Surely as it moved its would pick up water faster and faster right? Also was there anyone in the rear with the engine or was the whole of the crew up at the front of the ship because I wonder what it would be like as the rear plowed on into the night by itself gives me shivers thinking about it sorry if the question was stupid
Probably some water proof dividers automatically shut during the event and kept a majority of the water out of the stern until the storm got to be just too much. I am unsure if there were any cabin quarters in back or if there were any crew in the stern but odds are, they would've tried taking to a lifeboat and abandoning ship as well.
One statement at the beginning isn't necessarily accurate. The Edmund Fitzgerald didn't break on the surface, and breaking isn't what caused it to sink. Among the many theories of running aground, rogue waves, and cargo hold flooding, break-then-sink isn't one. On another topic, are there any cargo ships that sank carrying bauxite, due to liquefaction? I saw something about how bauxite is the among the most dangerous cargo because it sinks ships in minutes. Haven't heard of any specific wrecks carrying those loads, however.
13:25 -- He speaks of the power of the Great Lakes and the Human Spirit, but there is a dark side to this. 40 years after Titanic, you have ships being built of completely substandard materials. Harland and Wolffe knew the steel in Titanic was crap, yet 40 years later, Dennis and his crewmates had to endure this hell because their ship was made of the same garbage. On a slightly different note, I'm no naval architect, but I have a huge question about the design of those ships. The length of the ship, coupled with islands on the ends, has to create a HUGE bending moment about in the middle of the ship. The farther those islands are apart, the more force in the middle. Coupled with the crap steel and the KNOWN horrible weather, how could ANY ship designer have allowed those designs to move forward? And once it was known what happened, why wasn't The Fitz and her sister reinforced in some way about the middle to alleviate some of that stress?
The titanic steel was for the time optimal quality. Of course in our time it would be considered low quality. Aside from that small thing I loved the video.
Thanks Gillette! I added some additional thoughts on that in a pinned comment. If you have any further reading you can share with me, I'd love to take a look. - Sam
Dennis Hale was another example of tough IRISH MAN!!!!! the man used his deceased shipmates bodies to keep warm and survive!!!!! rest in peace to all who have died on the great lakes
When at last before my ghostly shipmates I stand I shed a small tear for my home upon land Though their eyes speak of depths filled with struggle and strife Their smiles below say I don't owe them my life
I met Dennis at a library in new london ohio where he had talked about his experience and he was such a very kind person as he showed a video of the morrell he made it a point to sit next to me and talk to me it was like I made an instant friend , and I did , I wanted to get a hold of him later on but as I learned about his passing it was very hard for me to except it but he is with his ship mates now God rest his soul
Hi Robert, it’s so nice that you had the opportunity to meet Dennis. Thank you for sharing your story about him and for watching my video. It was a privilege getting to learn more about him and his time on the Morrell. - Sam
I met him after a talk he gave at the Maritime Museum in Canal Park (Duluth, MN). He and many other folks walked the length of the ship canal pier afterwards, looking out at the lake, almost haunting in a way to watch. After that he gave a few brief comments to a local news crew that was at the museum for his talk. He seemed like a very nice man indeed.
What's the most sad is how fucked up it left him for decades after.
@@yallneedjesus5465 That's called trauma an survivor's guilt... None of which is fun to deal with.... An as death is final so is trauma. An you have flash backs. An you hear their voices, you see their faces..? So it never goes away... Ever ....It's part of you always.... Rest in paradise Sir
What is the name of the book
My dad sailed the lakes in a ship just this in the ‘40s and early 50s. He was the chief steward on the Richard J Reiss, and the Uhrig.
He would tell stories about those early winter storms and how scary they were. We lived in Duluth, Mn. at the time. As kids, we would watch the horizon from our house on the hill, looking for the smoke coming from the stacks of inbound boats..wondering if it was dads ship coming to port. Dad would be gone for months at a time..and coming to home port was a big event. Exciting days.
Glad to see that you are mentioning the Morrell, like the Carl Bradley these ships are in the shadows of the Fitzgerald not saying that the Fitzgerald isn't tragic but the Morrell and the Bradley are all but forgetton and the Fitzgerald is a legend you do their memories well, I hope that you do more of these videos
Every single one of them broke apart. Should have been a very clear hint of a really bad design when weather got bad.
@@leoborn4013 All 3 needed maintenance and hull repairs. Bethlehem Steel Corporation did a report in the Sister Ship of the Edmund Fitzgerald, that being the Arthur B. Homer. That ship was lengthened in December of 1975, but had so many years of neglect beforehand, that Bethlehem Steel Corporation decided to retire the ship in 1980 and scrap it.
The Cedarville too. It sank near mackinaw island after getting rammed by another ship in dense fog in the 1960s
I was stationed at the USAF radar station in Port Austin when the Morrell went down. When the news reached us that the ship was presumed lost, a group of us searched along that frigid coastline for any signs of survivors. We found nothing of course. The terrible weather and waves made it incredible that Mr. Hale somehow survived.
I also met Dennis Hale and I echo everything the viewer said about him. He was an amazing man and I feel privileged to have met him at the grand opening of the Great Lakes Maritime Museum here in Toledo. Sadly he is passed away now. RIP Mr. Hale.
It takes a special kind of human being to survive something like this physically and mentally it kinda makes the everyday problems we face not so unmanageable I pray we can all muster this kind of strength in our time of need.
The best short form video I’ve seen on the Morrell. Well done and thank you!
I dove on Danial J Morrell (both the bow and the stern) in the late 70s, when it was like night even in the daylight, and there were no zebra mussels. The visibility in the unwater footage is unreal. Great video.
So the zebra mussels are filtering the water is what your saying
@@sonnyspawn4435 Yeah, the zebra mussels have cleared the water up immensely for SCUBA divers, but while wreaking havoc on the ecosystems of the Great Lakes.
Would love to see that, I'll bet it's cool.
Excellent video! This was a great tribute to the 29 men who lost their lives on the Morrell, and Dennis Hale the lone survivor.
Shipwreck footage is always so eerie! It’s fascinating and sad in equal measures
Great video! You don't do a lot of them but the ones you do are fantastic! This is my favorite ship channel.
Thank you for the words of support! - Sam
*Great video and great channel!!*
A relative of mine was the driver of the ambulance who took Dennis Hale to the hospital, and apparently became friends with him for the rest of his life. He also owned the funeral home in town that the FBI made their home base while they identified the crew who had passed away. He's the one facing the camera, smiling in the photo at 9:54, the middle of the three men standing in the back. Wish I could've heard the stories from him directly, but I never met him before he died, so I've had to hear from other family members instead.
Yeah I bet that was me Jack. Who's doing the twist still? I think you are blinding something.
Sad hearing his last words break up as he said I'm glad of the time we spent together. I know the feeling,
I just lost my father the other day.
My condolences!
❤🙏❤️
May The Men of the Morell and all who have perished on the lakes rest in peace. It's stories like this that make me frightened for my mother's safety, she's a second cook on the CSL Spruceglen. Obviously safety standards etc have improved greatly but in the end sailing the great lakes is still a risky endeavor. I hope I never have to hear that the Spruceglen is gone with all hands.
Thanks for sharing. Hope your mother has many good years - be at sea, home, or on land.
Well, fwiw, ships built after the DJM used uncompromised steel, plus safety standards are a thousand times what they were. That's only a start in the improved circumstances, too.
Perhaps counting the number of successful hauls will help instead of thinking about wrecks a lifetime ago. Godspeed to your Mom and her ship.
One of my favorite ship channels on this platform! Thanks for the amazing content you put out brother! Can’t wait to see what you have for us next time!
Thanks James! 🙏
The sister ship of the Morrel, the Edward Y Townsend, was found to have major cracking after that same storm. She was sold for scrap and on the way to being towed to Europe for scrapping she broke in two just like her sister and sank, just a stones throw from the wreck of the Titanic.
Hale was a smart man. Seemed like he was also a very decent and kind man. He was fortunate, and too bad much of the tragedy haunted him as it did.
Dennis Hale was a whale of a man. I knew his story for years before his passing but was never able to see any of his appearances. Sorry I never got to meet him. R I P
Dennis Hale had a book out before Shipwrecked. It's called Sole Survivor. His story was translated to the page by Pat and Jim Stayer. My dad had a copy given to him by them. I read it as a kid. Book's worth quite a lot now. Always wanted to meet Dennis like Dad had. Never got to.
Edit:
Planning a video now in honor of the men on the Morrell and ship herself. I see we have many of the same sources.
My dad has helped me with the researching, a lot, and it led to a really freaky experience on his part.
I sent him the timeline I've been working on, and he started telling his first mate all about it. Well, when he finished the story, he and his first mate turned around and standing in the doorway of the cabin was a man in a Daniel J. Morrell shirt. He said chills went up his spine. Turned out to be Dennis Hale's son-in-law. He said it was sad how the world has slowly forgotten the Morrell more and more every year. The coincidence of the whole meeting makes you wonder if Dennis played a part. Makes me feel like I have to keep going, on the off chance that this is what the crew want... everlasting memory. It has led to a whole new avenue for my research as well, having the ability to make contact with at least one of the families.
My hope is to finish by the 28th of Nov. And have it premiere at the time of the sinking. However, I'm trying to collect information about the men on board so they can be remembered properly and I'm having some trouble with it.
EDIT: Video is still in the works, but there is a LOT of information to go over here. It will be delayed.
I subbed and I'm looking forward to your video when you upload. 👍🏻
Great video. Strange how this disaster is relatively unknown and yet equally as awful as the Edmund Fitzgerald. Rather like the Titanic when compared to the Wilhelm Gustloff which may have resulted in 6 times or more as many casualties.
The difference is the titanic was sunk by an iceberg, and not allied governments who had a vested interest in keeping up their own PR image.
The reason that hardly anybody never heard of the morells n others is cuz they weren't sung about by Gordon lightfoot!!
It is diffcult to remember every disaster. There are simply too many of them. About Gustloff, it was actually a troop transport, running dark that happend to have civilians on board and was sunk by enemy during war time. Formore nobody never knew how many souls were onboard.
@@koolaidblack7697 I can't actually find any good information on whether the western allies even found out about the sinking officially (rather than via agents/intelligence). If they did know about it, they deliberately kept it quiet. The chap captaining the Soviet sub was later dishonourably discharged, but for being a drunkard rather than for mass murder of enemy civilians.
@@chairlesnicol672 Very true. Other than perhaps a blurb on the national news, few outside of the Great Lakes community knew about the Fitzgerald until after the song was released. Indeed, when it first hit the "Hot 100" in mid-November 1976 probably not two people in ten knew the song was about a real lake boat.
Dwight Boyer wrote extensively about the sinking of the Daniel J. Morrell. If I remember correctly both the Townsend and Morrell failed to arrive at the Soo Locks and were reported overdue/missing. The battered Townsend was found at anchor in the St. Mary's river with her wireless antenna ripped off by the storm (unable to radio in).
God bless Dennis and all his ship mates.
Seeing how they lost their lives when the ship went down, I'd say that's the opposite of being blessed. Little late for blessings once you're dead. Dennis was blessed with surviving the wreck and more years of life perhaps but the rest of them were doomed, not blessed.
I can watch "Sinking Ships" videos ALL DAY LOOOOONG! something about these stories captivates me. and the footage of the ships lying upright at the bottom of the Great Lakes is haunting, fascinating, & beautiful.
BUT
time to get back to work! shutdown the youtube Nick, you have a family to support!!!
Pretty crazy the stern was still going after being torn in half. Engines still going and didn’t sink like a rock from it being torn in half. Very impressive
Boy, November sounds like a bad time to be out on the Lakes. Sad what happened to the Daniel J Morrell. 😔
The last scene in this video with the open door on the stern is perfect that door was flung open and every member of the crew that could flew out of that door in a desperate attempt to escape
It seems faint in the light of Hale's survivor's guilt, but his survival probably saved the lives of future crewmen who would have otherwise sailed on the Townsend. Had the investigation slowed, the Townsend may have continued to make trips, and instead of splitting while being towed, another crew could have experienced the Morrell's fate. That act of survival probably saved another 28 people.
Poor guy had survivor’s guilt but at least he lived his life to the fullest in honor of his lost crew mates. Also he potentially saved many lives by pointing the investigators in right direction that the steel being used was too brittle. I think this tragedy was really overshadowed by the Fritz because the latter of the two had no survivors and cause was unknown.
The cause is well known: pushing the ships too late in the season. They both went down due to bad weather on the Lakes.
It breaks my heart to hear him describe the loss and loneliness. The fact that he pushed through it and lived a good life should stand as inspiration for anyone who has peered into the darkness of the abyss of depression, and felt it peering into their soul.
I remember the fallen, and they think of me, for our souls in the ocean forever will be.
-the longest johns
@@elim7228 The other problem was, The Ship WAS ALWAYS OVER LOADED. Some of the crew members Also complained ABOUT STRESS CRACKS, at different load points in the Ship's hull.
Im related to Daniel J. Morrell..never knew this until i started looking into my family history. My 4th or 5th gen grandfather changed the E to an I for reasons unknown. Sad and tragic.
I had never heard of this ship until today. Guess you need a song written about like the Mighty Fitz to be famous. Thank you very much for bringing this tragic story to my attention. Amazing.
I honestly couldn't imagine how Psychologically traumatizing that experience had to have been for Dennis Hale
It's no wonder that he was so reluctant to talk about the experience at first
Ships are supposed to have inspections and repair done during winter layup. The company neglected the Morrel, likely because it was an old ship, but the cost of human lives wasn’t worth what it would take to repair the vessel or the loss in income caused by decommissioning the ship.
"We're never in port long enough" said by an old man who's already lived a full life, and the situation ends in young men with their futures ahead of them drowning and freezing to death. Makes me angry honestly. It's always people with hardly anything at stake who cause situations like this.
@@tatwood93 you can’t get mad at the captain. He doesn’t arrange the shipping schedules, and he likely knew just how dangerous having a leaky ship was, but he couldn’t do anything about it. It is infuriating that a company would neglect a ship this much though
@@falcondragonslayer The captain passed the buck.
@@tatwood93 no clue what that means
@@falcondragonslayer Would you drive a bus full of people if you knew the brake lines were leaking? I would rather get fired.
You just earned a subscription, well done. I never heard of this disaster until now.
I'm glad to see you back making videos!
Thank you -- as always it was great to watch.
More to come, thank you! - Sam
Thank you for doing this, a tragedy so often overlooked.
Very well done, I remember the Edmund Fitzgerald sinking when I was 11
Incredible. One of the Bethlehem steel mine buildings are only a few miles from my house here in PA. I also had a grandfather who worked for the company back in the mid 60s but I never knew any of this.
Amazing story. Survivors Remorse is a tough deal
This was an amazing story that I never actually heard of before.
At 7:05 that’s a cool painting but the life raft was not a rubber life raft as pictured here, and what most us typically picture a life raft to be. The life raft was a slatted steel or wood “tray” on top of 2 cylindrical steel pontoons. Edit: they show the actual raft in the pic of the helicopter rescue.
What's so surprising about this story is the age of the ship. Very few ocean going ships last more than 40 years in service. What is even more amazing is the apparent lack of safety inspections.
Granted is the simple fact that fresh water is less corrosive than sea water. That doesn't eliminate the need for seaworthyness inspections. Especially after 40, or more years of service.
There's still 100+ year old lake freighters afloat, mostly as storage vessels but I think a few are still working
@@anareel4562 Interesting! I do hope that they've seen some recent dry dock time. Anyway where do you get parts for 50+ year old thriple expansion steam engines
@@scottjackson5173 as for how they maintain such old technology my guess is they have blacksmiths and craftsman on payroll, also most of them had their propulsion switched over to diesel engines or steam turbines. SS Alpena was built in 1942 and is still in service, there's also a 107 year old lake freighter that's been converted into a self unloading barge.
Algorithm deleted my last comment due to links lol
@@anareel4562 It's too bad, I live so far away. One day funds permitting, I would like to see some of these old ships.
@@scottjackson5173 actually turns out Trillium (a side paddle steam ferry) is still in use in my home town of Toronto between Downtown and the Island, she's 111 years old
Such a sad story. RIP shipmates of the Daniel J. Morrell.
I think it’s a special reason that Dennis survived with out him we would never would have now’n what happened or what led up to the loss of the ship.
Great documentary. I remember reading that Dennis most likely survived due to wearing no clothes, as wet clothing would only increase the speed of hypothermia. Can't imagine that kind of weather and cold.
Great video thank you for sharing this amazing story seriously a great job! I immediately subscribed to your channel in order to not miss any future videos :)
Welcome aboard!
That was in 1966. The laws have changed. I'm under the impression that all commercial ships registered or operated in US waters have to have hull inspections every 6 months to 3 years depending on type. Are there any Coast Guard out there that can give us the lowdown?
Excellent video...very informative...well presented....great job....
The other sinkings of the Great Lakes need to be told and recognized
Life can be harsh, even cruel but we learn nothing if we do not keep moving forward, learning from our past. RIP all who perished.
Great video, thank you!!
This is a very beautiful and respectful film.
Thank you, Tim!
I love the Great Lakes. They look like inland seas. RIP 🙏
Thank you, tremendously, for including metric measurements in this very enlightening video.
These are so well made. I hope your videos get more traction
Thank you! - Sam
Long time no see, thanks for your new video.JDS in AZ usa. Also 1st
Amazing story and a great video! Thank you very much 👍👍
Thank you for the support, Frank! - Sam
Great work algorithm! Fantastic video, what a story of survival.
Glad you enjoyed it! - Sam
Very interesting video! Ironic that an older ship made of lesser-grade steel carried ore for a steel company.
Thank you so much for making this! I love Great Lake carrier stories and this one is truly fascinating! You just got a new sub here :)
Thank you for supporting! I’m happy you enjoyed it. - Sam
I grew up on the shore of Lake Michigan, in Long Beach Indiana. When that lake gets angry, look out. My Dad had his career with Bethlehem Steel. He started at Sparrows Point (Baltimore), and transferred to Burns Harbor Indiana.
I live 1.5 miles from Lake Michigan in Port Washington WI. I tell my daughter that we don't need to go to the ocean , we have one it our back yard. It's quite eery to look out at the lake and think of all the ships that seen their demise. Beautiful place though.
Another fantastic video!
Thanks, Steven - glad you enjoyed it! - Sam
God bless him and his crew they fought hard but he kept his mind on his life and his friends
Great job on this one, always been curious about the Morrell.
Excellent narration and detail,thanks very much for posting
Thank you!
Dude that was beautiful
I just found this channel, love it!
Welcome aboard! - Sam
The American Bureau of Shipping certification of at least one annual inspection should have picked up on the fact the vessel was leaking and the steel in deterioration? Why was nothing done? Why were the numerous Captains scared of reporting the defects to the company? Also the ship is a "bulk carrier" and not a freighter. Not forgetting the seafarers union delegates on board, why did they keep working the vessel? Great video.
Right?! I can only imagine how endemic the problem must have been that ships in such a poor state of repair kept literally breaking apart without it being a giant scandal. I wonder what percent of the bulk carriers were actually seaworthy back then.
A bulk carrier isn't a freighter? That's like saying a container train is an "intermodal" and not a "freight train". They both refer to the same thing with different degrees of specificity.
But to answer your questions, companies don't care about safety until laws require them to. Plenty of ships built when the Morrell was built were lost due to storms in the decades before the Morrell sank. The risk was acceptable at the time, and it was probably less expensive to lose a ship as old as the Morrell due to sinking than it was to substantially upgrade it or build a newer one when this older one was still operational. After the Fitzgerald was when shipping culture changed and inspection and safety standards were improved, and ships on the lakes will find shelter whether than venture out into open water when a storm is forecast.
@@484berkshire In Australia a Bulk Carrier carries bulk commodities and more often than not does not have derricks or deck cranes and has strengthened hatches to handle ore. A freighter usually has a "between deck" and has derricks or deck cranes and provision for refrigerated cargo. A Containership is just that, handles 20 foot and 40 foot container exclusively. That's how it was when I was a ships Radio Officer in the merchant navy many years back.
@@australiantrains8988 Ok, so it boils down to different dialects then. In the US (as far as I know), a freighter is any ship that moves goods as its primary function. Bulk carriers and container ships all fit under "freighter".
Must not be on the ground floor of any type of industrial work. The captains most likely did report the issues. But upper management only saw, that ship not moving meant not making money. Back then these types of accidents were not looked at as deeply as they are today. Sure when they happened they looked into it, but eventually they were paid off by big business and everything went away. Looking into it, coal mines, steel Mills, freight companies, all of them had massive accidents and they were all hardly looked into and even if they were nothing much ever came of it. That's why today companies have such tight ships to run so to speak, as lawyers and government agencies get involved and things start to happen. Chances are this guy once he was out of the hospital, the company came and said "man we're awful glad you are alive, sorry about your shipmates, hey see ya Monday ol buddy" and life went on, as what happened with alot of incidents. Companies see the outgoing money closer than they see the incoming money, they never seem to make the connection that repairs to the lifeblood of the company is a drop in the bucket when these accidents happen.
I believe the photos of the ship breaking up at about 2 min mark are of the Morrell's sister ship the Townsend as it broke up while being towed across the Atlantic for scrapping.
These situations have been happening ever since the first person went somewhere in a boat, captains who overestimated the seakeeping abilities of their vessels or underestimated the power of water disturbed by wind. Give the propensities of human nature, there's no reason to believe that will ever change.
My family has got a place near harbor beach, thats crazy to hear about. I'll have to see if I can ask anybody local or find something in the museums. Lot of history that goes forgotten there
Just found your channel and I am impressed! Well researched, written and narrated.y new fav ship channel! ✌️
Welcome aboard! - Sam
@@StunningHistory I noticed that you probably have a full time job and maybe don't have the time to post regularly but I wish you all the best with the channel and I know a lot of us out here will say the same! Cheers mate 🥂 can't wait til your next video.
Just found your channel, going to watch all your vids, will give ya a like. Have a good day Sam.
Thanks, Dave - welcome aboard!
Pls keep making these man 👌
I plan to! Next one comes out this weekend.
He's right about the men and himself our family after that many years together. I work for a company almost two decades. There's men hired couple years before and after I was hired. We were there for each other through the good or bad. Marriage, having kids or some passed away. Were family all them years until the company shut down. Over time we slowly when our own separate ways. But I have a lot of fun stories to tell others about this group of men I worked with.
So interesting, thanks!
Thanks for watching! - Sam
"You don't really care if you live or die, you just want it over with". Just wow😮
Mr Hale passed rest in peace with your brothers.
I wonder if Mr Hale was ever able to go back out on the water ever again? I hope so, the men who work out there are a different breed.
Not for many years and never again professionally, to my knowledge. I believe I saw where he boarded a research vessel as part of filming the documentary.
Excellent. Thank you and like 🙂
My uncle was a cook on the USCGC Naugatuck the night the Fitzgerald went down and the captain ordered the engines to make steam and get out to the last known position but for some reason one of the pumps for the engine failed multiple times and they made it about 2 days after the sinking
That picture with the Huletts unloaders is pretty interesting.
Can you explain why ships sink after beaing break apart? Are Cargo holds not watertight compartmens? Is there any compartmentaion of the ship? I think if such a ship is break apart, then one or two cargo holds in each section will flood, but it is hardly enough water to sink entire half of the ship.
the whole ship broke in 2 from the steel having weakpoints in the hull
I think it is sad that he felt shame about his near death experience. I have had a couple myself obviously different circumstances. I found it very comforting afterwards. Knowing that there is definitely more to this life and afterlife than we can post hope to understand in the flesh. At least times have changed. That poor man suffered in silence for years but due to his bravery people after him
3:38 The steel used on the Titanic was actually the highest grade steel of the time, not the weakest. White Star Line did not cheap out on the building of her in any regards.
Thanks for clarifying here. I added some additional thoughts on that in a pinned comment. If you have any further reading you can share with me, I'd love to take a look. - Sam
@@StunningHistory You’re very welcome, I’m happy to help with any misconceptions. As far as I can see, there was only the steel.
True! But the highest grade steel of the time was not very good by today's standards. Through WWII ship steel had too many graphite inclusions and the brittle transition temperature was very high. The SS Schenectady, a WWII Oiler, fractured overnight in harbor, in a dead calm.
Actually, yes they did ‘cheap out’ on construction-albeit primarily in terms of steel QUANTITY , not quality. The original plans called for steel plates 1.5 inches thick to be utilized in hull construction mid-ship, and 1 inch thick in the bow and stern areas. Because of continual cost-cutting pressure by White Star Line officials, Harland & Wolff acquiesced and used one inch thick amidships, and 3/4 inch steel in the bow and stern areas. In addition, H&W succumbed to pressure to finish construction quickly by procuring inferior iron constructed rivers high in slag and other impurities instead of steel rivets. The poor performance of these inferior rivets is believed to be one factor behind why the Titanic’s starboard bow plates failed to hold their structural integrity in the collision with the iceberg.
@@toddcrickmore7196 thank you for that clarification
Being from Memphis (used to seeing river boats), I'm confused by the configuration of these ships. Are they in two separate or independent parts, front and back, with the middle being cargo? How can it break in two and both parts keep going for a bit? I've always been fascinated by the Great Lakes ships! Thanks so much for the info, love your channel! Have you heard of Memphis's maritime disaster, the Wreck of the Sultana? Thanks!
I’m from northern Wisconsin and have spent a lot of time by the Great Lakes and heard these story’s since I was a kid, it’s really just weak construction of the ships and the extreme storms the lakes get, the lakes regularly see 22 foot waves during storm season, the boats over years get beat to death and in this case the lack of maintenance caused the boat to literally get ripped in half. They are built just like cargo ships for the ocean.
@@fuzzy_deppresion3907 Ohhh, okay Thanks! They look like they could be made in two separate halves with the funnel on one end and the wheelhouse on the other. Very neat ships I love to hear stories about the Great Lakes, beautiful part of the country!
@@lilitharam44 I'd imagine it's like floating on a giant aluminum cake pan, probably massive amounts of flex especially when dropping thousands of tons of ore into it from 100ft up then crashing thru 20ft waves. Not to mention the shallow waters of the Great Lakes when compared to oceans. Very creepy that the wheelhouse was broken off and the engines kept going, it's like a modern version of the headless horseman
The other thing to note, cargo freighters that belong to the great lakes (Lakers) are bigger than the ocean going counterparts you will see in the great lakes (Salties.) Why is this so? It's because the really big ocean going vessels are too big for the locks.
@@kyledavis4890 Cool to know that, thanks!
Anyone know the name of the freighter at 6:30 pictured hogging?
Ernest McSorely, Captain of the Edmond Fitzgerald needs honorable mention since The Edmond is mentioned so many times in this story. Ernest was retiring after his fatal trip, he had 2 records, at 19 he was the youngest Captain to navigate a freighter across the Great Lakes, and then held the record for taking the greatest amount of tonnage through the Sioux St Marie locks. The Edmond was inspected a month before sinking, they found 4 areas of repair needed when the ship went into dry dock, none that made it unseaworthy though.
I met him at the great lakes shipwreck museum
rest in peace homie, I hope you had your reunion with your mates
For us landlubbers we really can't grasp the situation or what they went through
The Episcopal priest who baptized my son was ship sinking survivor. He wasn't the only survivor but it was still traumatic. He was not a minister at the time. He was the gunnery officer aboard the USS Vincennes (CA 44) sunk in the Battle of Savo Island.
So I want to ask a question and it may sound stupid but how did the rear section of the morrel not drive itself down into the water and sink faster? Surely as it moved its would pick up water faster and faster right? Also was there anyone in the rear with the engine or was the whole of the crew up at the front of the ship because I wonder what it would be like as the rear plowed on into the night by itself gives me shivers thinking about it sorry if the question was stupid
Probably some water proof dividers automatically shut during the event and kept a majority of the water out of the stern until the storm got to be just too much. I am unsure if there were any cabin quarters in back or if there were any crew in the stern but odds are, they would've tried taking to a lifeboat and abandoning ship as well.
I can't even imagine 😢
One statement at the beginning isn't necessarily accurate. The Edmund Fitzgerald didn't break on the surface, and breaking isn't what caused it to sink. Among the many theories of running aground, rogue waves, and cargo hold flooding, break-then-sink isn't one. On another topic, are there any cargo ships that sank carrying bauxite, due to liquefaction? I saw something about how bauxite is the among the most dangerous cargo because it sinks ships in minutes. Haven't heard of any specific wrecks carrying those loads, however.
Ironic that both the Fitz and the Morrell both had 29 crew members.
13:25 -- He speaks of the power of the Great Lakes and the Human Spirit, but there is a dark side to this. 40 years after Titanic, you have ships being built of completely substandard materials. Harland and Wolffe knew the steel in Titanic was crap, yet 40 years later, Dennis and his crewmates had to endure this hell because their ship was made of the same garbage.
On a slightly different note, I'm no naval architect, but I have a huge question about the design of those ships. The length of the ship, coupled with islands on the ends, has to create a HUGE bending moment about in the middle of the ship. The farther those islands are apart, the more force in the middle. Coupled with the crap steel and the KNOWN horrible weather, how could ANY ship designer have allowed those designs to move forward? And once it was known what happened, why wasn't The Fitz and her sister reinforced in some way about the middle to alleviate some of that stress?
I mean... this ship was like 6 years older than the Titanic. It just had a way longer life.
The titanic steel was for the time optimal quality. Of course in our time it would be considered low quality. Aside from that small thing I loved the video.
Thanks Gillette! I added some additional thoughts on that in a pinned comment. If you have any further reading you can share with me, I'd love to take a look. - Sam
Dennis Hale was another example of tough IRISH MAN!!!!! the man used his deceased shipmates bodies to keep warm and survive!!!!! rest in peace to all who have died on the great lakes
Edmund Fitzgerald, Carl D Bradley, and Daniel J. Morrell, all had similar designs. The Great Lakes were relentless against all three.
When at last before my ghostly shipmates I stand
I shed a small tear for my home upon land
Though their eyes speak of depths filled with struggle and strife
Their smiles below say I don't owe them my life